TORRANCE, Calif. — KING'S HAWAIIAN®, leader of the Hawaiian Foods category, is the title sponsor of the Taste of Aloha and Art of Tiki Cocktail Showdown hosted by Anne Burrell taking place on Friday, February 23 at the 2018 Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival®. Celebrity Chef Anne Burrell of the hit Food Network series Worst Cooks in Americawill host an evening of Polynesian flare, with Hawaiian-inspired bites and tiki-inspired cocktails from across the country. The event further amplifies the company's Hawaiian heritage and variety of well-loved products available to consumers nationwide.
The Festival and KING'S HAWAIIAN have gathered the best chefs and bartenders from highly regarded Hawaiian and tiki-inspired bars and restaurants across the country as they compete to be crowned winners at the end of the night. The event will also feature a live art installation from artist Brian Owens and live music from Anuhea, the most popular female in Hawaiian music history and the female voice of modern Hawaiian music.
"KING'S HAWAIIAN is leading the charge in celebrating Hawaiian food by bringing chefs from all over the country to sample the best of island-inspired cuisine and cocktails," said Courtney Taira, KING'S HAWAIIAN spokesperson and granddaughter of the company's founder. "We look forward to making a bigger splash at this year's South Beach Wine & Food Festival, as we know the event will bring together food-lovers and chefs alike and inspire them to think of Hawaiian food as one of their go-to cuisines."
The event will also set the stage for Hawaiian Foods Week, the second week in June designated by congress as a celebration of Hawaiian food and culture.
The roster of notable chefs participating – along with their featured dishes – include:
- Chef Mark Noguchi, Pili Group – Kiawe-smoked Hawaiian Ahualoa Sheep from the Big Island with King's Hawaiian Sweet Island Ginger BBQ sauce prepared as Dukbokki
- Chef Adam and Keith Gertler, Doghaus – Huli Huli-Glazed Chicken Sausage, Poi-Oli, Pickled Dragon Fruit, and Crispy Chicken Skin on a King's Hawaiian Original Hawaiian Sweet Roll
- Kiki Aranita and Chris Vacca, Poi Dog Philly – Purple Yam and Kiawe-smoked Pork Belly Croquette made with King's Hawaiian Original Hawaiian Sweet Breadcrumbs and Black Garlic Mayo
- Chef Josh Schade, Ahi Assassins – Kiawe-smoked Ahi Dip made with King's Hawaiian Original Hawaiian Sweet Bread Flats and Oyster Sauce
- Chef Bert Agor, King's Hawaiian
The late-night event will take place at Surfcomber, A Kimpton Hotel. Tickets for the event are available HERE. As with all Festival events, proceeds benefit the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University. The Festival has raised more than $26 million to date for the School.
About KING'S HAWAIIAN
Founded more than 60 years ago in Hilo, Hawaii, by Robert R. Taira, KING'S HAWAIIAN is a family-owned business that for three generations has been dedicated to providing irresistible, original recipe Hawaiian foods made with Aloha Spirit. A priority for the company is sharing the Hawaiian Way – a uniquely Hawaiian approach to hospitality based on graciousness, generosity, and a commitment to making everyone feel a part of the KING'S HAWAIIAN 'ohana' (extended family). KING'S HAWAIIAN makes the #1 branded dinner roll in the United States, along with other great Hawaiian foods. The company operates baking facilities in Torrance, California, and Oakwood, Georgia. For more information visit the company's website at www.KingsHawaiian.com, "Like" KING'S HAWAIIAN on Facebook and FollowKING'S HAWAIIAN on Twitter.
Source: KING'S HAWAIIAN
